The B.M.A.,聽first introduced as a degree option in 2019, offers students a 50-50 split between music studies and their choice of another field in the liberal arts landscape.聽麻豆影院 now has four degree options:聽Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Arts & Bachelor of Music Dual Degree, and the B.M.A.

That flexibility made it easy when, toward the end of his first year, friends in the Conservatory of Music invited Lewis to join a bluegrass group. Now known as the Litch Brothers, the band features聽Tashi Litch 鈥�24, Kaj Litch, Evan Snoey 鈥�23, and Lewis.

鈥淚 sort of fell in love with bluegrass music right away,鈥� Lewis said. 鈥淚t has this driving energy to it that really resonated with me.鈥澛�

He cites guitarists Tony Rice鈥斺�漮ne of the original pioneers鈥濃�攁nd Alison Krauss as important influences.聽

麻豆影院鈥檚 Conservatory nurtured the group鈥檚 development as they refined their sound.

鈥淭he Conservatory was really supportive of this,鈥� Lewis added. 鈥淭hey helped foster the Litch Brothers as we expanded our repertoire. I was able to learn very quickly and develop as a bluegrass musician while I was here鈥攊t’s all thanks to the Conservatory鈥檚 culture.鈥�

Through coaching with 麻豆影院 instructor and improvisation specialist Matt Turner, the band crafted a distinct style blending bluegrass with elements of jazz and rock.

鈥淲e bring a more progressive approach to bluegrass music incorporating styles such as rock, folk, and Romani jazz鈥攚e have a more 鈥榡azz-sound鈥� in general,鈥� Lewis said. 鈥淥ur arrangement of traditional bluegrass tunes have a more progress-quality to them. We also cover popular rock tunes.鈥�

As they gained traction, the Litch Brothers played wherever they could鈥攕mall festivals, nonprofits, and community events鈥攁nything to 鈥済et their sound out there.鈥� A string of successful performances throughout the country culminated in their biggest milestone yet鈥攖he International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) World of Bluegrass festival, the genre鈥檚 most prestigious venue.

With financial support from the Conservatory and encouragement from Dean Brian Pertl, the Litch Brothers made a triumphant debut at the IBMA festival in September 2023. Their performance was met with enthusiasm, securing a return invitation for 2024 as well as a coveted booking at the Your Roots Are Showing (YRAS) conference. The band spent more than a week in Ireland in January 2025.

鈥淭he folk tradition runs deep in Ireland, and there鈥檚 a lot of government support for it,鈥� Lewis said. 鈥淭he festival was held in Killarney, which is a really naturally beautiful place.鈥�

The conference was preceded by an eight-day tour in Ireland.

鈥淲e just got to meet so many musically involved people,鈥� Lewis said, 鈥渨hether it be music executives and festival organizers at YRAS or talented amateur musicians in the pubs.鈥�

Lewis鈥� participation in both festivals was made possible by the Conservatory鈥檚 Fred Sturm Inspiration Fund, which supports students pursuing innovative musical projects.聽

The band will pursue a number of opportunities during the summer of 2025: the Gray Fox Bluegrass Festival, recording their debut album, and embarking on a five-week concert tour of the West Coast.

Lewis, graduating in June, hopes to move to Nashville, Tennessee, and join the bustling bluegrass, old-time, and country music scenes. He was recently recruited by mandolin player Nick Dumas for a series of summer concerts.聽

鈥溌槎褂霸� has made me a very versatile player鈥擨 never have to put myself in a box because I’ve learned to play so many different styles here, and more than just jazz and bluegrass,鈥� Lewis said. 鈥淚’ve played R&B music, soul, rock, punk鈥� and so much more. Even if I don’t move to Nashville, I’ve got all the tools I need to succeed.鈥�

Michael Murphy describes his music as influenced by the sounds of the 1970s with a dash of Americana. Artists such as Steely Dan, James Taylor, Elton John, and Led Zeppelin fill his Spotify Wrapped, he said.聽

鈥淚 get to play guitar a little bit and feature that, but I also get to write some beautiful melodies that people can relate to,鈥� Murphy said.聽聽

Blair, an Appleton native, also found her passion for music from a young age, including a love for chamber music. So, when Michael Mizrahi, Frank C. Shattuck Professor of Music at 麻豆影院, approached her about performing with the inaugural 麻豆影院 Chamber Music Festival, it seemed like a perfect opportunity.聽

鈥淚 grew up playing viola,鈥� Blair said. 鈥淭he first group I ever performed in independently was a string quartet in high school. On my first record, I have a string quartet for one of my songs. I was really excited by the idea of arranging my songs that way.鈥澛�

The Chamber Music Festival, a newly formed program designed for advanced instrumentalists and ensembles, allowed Blair to perform her music in a different way. She also performed solo at several venues, an uncommon occurrence for Blair, as she usually plays with a group.聽聽

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About a year after graduating from 麻豆影院, Blair formed the band Holy Sheboygan! She now also plays with the band DUSK. Her first solo album, Better Out Than In, was released in 2022.聽聽

鈥淗oly Sheboygan! was very much like a collective, kind of folk music鈥攊t varied a lot. DUSK is a louder country rock-and-roll band,鈥� Blair said. 鈥淎nd then my solo music is kind of an amalgamation of those two.”聽

Journey to 麻豆影院 through music聽

Blair and Murphy took slightly unconventional routes through music during their times at 麻豆影院.聽聽

Blair, a religious studies and music major, was unsure what her career path would be after graduation. She was drawn to Buddhism and was encouraged to explore that interest while at 麻豆影院.聽聽

Some of her main influences were now-retired professors Dirck Vorenkamp and Gene Biringer. Blair recalled a course taught by Biringer that looked at the connection between music and mindfulness.聽聽

鈥淭here was a meditation element to the class,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here was also modern, mindful music and historical music and mysticism. We also went on a meditation retreat to Bj枚rklunden. It was a really cool class.鈥澛�

Blair also credits Matt Turner, instructor of music, and Karen Leigh-Post, professor of music and teacher of voice, with helping her explore the realm of music.聽聽

Turner, she said, helped her look at music in a different way and explore new improvisation styles. Meanwhile, Leigh-Post brought shared vocal techniques and vocal health strategies.聽聽

鈥淪he鈥檚 (Leigh-Post) very Western classical minded; that鈥檚 her performance style,鈥� Blair said. 鈥淏ut she knew that wasn鈥檛 my trajectory and what I planned to do after school. Her style of teaching extended beyond just that style.鈥澛犅�

Michael Murphy also thought this 麻豆影院 experience would go in a different direction, entering school intending to study neuroscience.聽聽

鈥淎bout halfway through my first year, I had a massive self-reflective intervention and realized my passion was in music and creation,鈥� Murphy said. 鈥淚 switched as fast as I could.鈥澛�

Murphy made the switch to the Bachelor of Musical Arts (B.M.A.) program, which began at 麻豆影院 at the start of his first year in 2019. The new degree allowed students to audition with non-classical music and to explore a wide range of alternate music-making opportunities. B.M.A. students could also choose a cognate鈥攁 non-musical area of study鈥攖o pursue; Murphy鈥檚 choice was innovation and entrepreneurship.聽

Because the B.M.A. program was new, Murphy said he was like a 鈥済uinea pig鈥濃�攚hich worked in his favor.聽聽

鈥淚 got to try a lot of different things; I took a lot of lessons and as many random classes as I could to piece together this major,鈥� Murphy said. 鈥淚 studied classical voice, jazz guitar, upright and electric bass, jazz comp鈥攁ll of that stuff.鈥澛犅�

One of the biggest things Murphy took away from his college experience was the relationships he created with professors and lecturers, many of which continue to this day.聽

Steve Peplin, lecturer of music, and Brent Hauer, director of recording and technology and lecturer in recording arts, were two such influences. Peplin, Murphy said, introduced him to several artists with whom he later collaborated.聽聽

With Hauer, Murphy helped develop audio engineering coursework at 麻豆影院.聽聽

鈥淗e (Hauer) has been amazing for the growth of not only performance here, but also for music and creativity for students,鈥� Murphy said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so amazing to see a lot of the new students, especially in the B.M.A., sharing their songs. We鈥檝e created this environment where a lot of students are writing new music.鈥澛�

Gary Vaughan, lecturer in innovation and entrepreneurship, was another influence for Murphy. Vaughan helped Murphy launch his small business, Michael Murphy Music, LLC, as part of his independent study during his senior year.聽

鈥淚鈥檓 incredibly grateful for all the faculty and teachers here,鈥� Murphy said. 鈥淭o make the most out of it, it鈥檚 important to make those relationships, where it鈥檚 not just the teacher-student thing. If a student has the drive to do something, they will be excited to offer the resources.鈥澛�

Future projects聽

On top of pursuing his career as a singer-songwriter, Murphy鈥檚 LLC has also branched off to his record label, Living Room Records, LLC, and a live show production company, Muse Live Productions, LLC.聽

He is also gearing up for two album releases. Murphy collaborated with musical artist Steve March-Torm茅 to revise and record an unreleased 1984 album, Dalton Diamond. The album will be coming out in early 2025.聽

鈥淲e reworked some of the songs, wrote two new songs, and made a 10-track album,鈥� Murphy said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e done a few performances of some of the songs, and that鈥檚 the first time those songs have ever been performed since it was written in 鈥�84-85.鈥澛�

He also recently finished mixing his second solo album, with plans to release it in 2026.聽聽

Blair also just finished her second solo album, which will be released soon. DUSK is also working on a new album.聽In addition, she recently scored a film from 麻豆影院 alumnus Molly Preston 鈥�10. Freedom, Wisconsin is working its way through the festival circuit.聽聽

Elder has been able to work with musicians and artists from across all genres and disciplines.聽

鈥淭he community, everyone is just so nice to each other, and there鈥檚 so many opportunities to collaborate with all different types of musicians, all different types of instruments,鈥� Elder said, 鈥渁nd everyone鈥檚 just so willing and excited to.鈥澛�

Elder also took his interests abroad with the Budapest Semesters in Mathematics Education. While in Budapest, he was able to learn about the Hungarian pedagogy of mathematics and how it’s applied in middle schools and high schools.聽聽

One of the most prominent things he learned, Elder said, was the spiral curriculum. Instead of taking one subject each year, like most schools in America, Hungarian schools will touch on each subject, then circle back every year with more rigorous lessons.聽聽

Elder also learned about their inquiry-based and discovery-based learning. Instead of teachers lecturing and students taking notes, the class solves problems together, and their results allow them to fully understand the theorems.聽聽

For Elder, the trip was an eye-opening experience.聽聽

鈥淭he support that 麻豆影院 gave me in applying, finding the program, getting funding was very, very helpful, and it was a life-changing experience for me,鈥� Elder said.聽聽

Following graduation, Elder plans to pursue his passion for mathematics and education by attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison to earn his master鈥檚 in curriculum and instruction for secondary mathematics.聽聽

He has also been equipped by his liberal arts education to bring the arts to the classroom鈥攅ven the math classroom.聽

鈥淚mplementing the arts is definitely a great way to further education,鈥� Elder said. 鈥淗ow can we relate these ideas? So, implementing (the arts) both on the student and educator side.鈥澛�

A second Smith novel, The Fighter, also was adapted to film (Rumble Through the Dark) in 2023, and Smith is optioning three other novels for major studios. Salvage This World, published last spring, is the novel in play for the 麻豆影院 students.

鈥淚 was lucky enough to be invited to set during the filming of Michael鈥檚 film Desperation Road, where I was able to present to him my original composition, co-written with the lead actor, Garrett Hedlund,鈥� Chisel said. 鈥淢ichael wound up loving the song and choosing it to be the title theme for the film.鈥�

Desperation Road is available on streaming platforms such as Amazon.聽Chisel is listed in the credits as theme music composer.

Pertl and Chisel have been co-teaching courses in collaborative songwriting for five years, but this is the first iteration of the聽Advanced Collaborative Songwriting听肠濒补蝉蝉.

鈥淐ory is bringing an incredible opportunity to the class as the culminating experience,鈥� Pertl said of the interaction with Smith. 鈥淭hrough Cory鈥檚 connections with prominent movie directors and producers, he has created the unprecedented opportunity for our class to meet with a writer-director and hear his vision for the story and the movie.鈥�

While there is no guarantee a song from the class will be selected for use in the film, the opportunity to be considered along with other songwriters is experiential learning at its finest, Pertl said.

鈥淭hey will be in the running right along with high-profile songwriters,鈥� he said.

Chisel said he reached out to Smith to see if he鈥檇 be willing to connect with the 麻豆影院 students.

鈥淚 asked,鈥� Chisel said, 鈥渋f he would be open to a final assignment I had in mind for our class: 鈥楲et鈥檚 give our Advanced Collaborative Songwriting students at 麻豆影院 their first chance to present a song based on your book for consideration for the film.鈥� Amazingly, he said that sounded like a fine idea.鈥�

Students did extensive research on the author and the book. They watched interviews with Smith in preparation for writing songs for the film. And on March 5, Smith made an in-person visit to Harper Hall, talking with the students, listening to their music, and providing feedback. The students will now finalize their entries before submitting them to Smith.

Production of the film is many months away. And there are no guarantees. But the opportunity is real.

鈥淏rian and I always teach to be ready for this kind of opportunity, and I cannot wait to hear what they create,鈥� Chisel said.

In ensemble work, he gained his first experience with the baritone saxophone, now completing his exposure to all four main saxophones.

Amsterdam is home to a vibrant jazz scene, which nicely complements the 麻豆影院 Conservatory. Besides the preponderance of jazz clubs, the city is frequented by world renowned musicians. This makes it a popular destination for the jazz-inclined, and indeed it was Brady鈥檚 first choice for study abroad.

鈥淸Studying abroad is] a great opportunity to have a short trial run of another option of what life after 麻豆影院 could be,鈥� Brady said.

Easing into post-college life has its challenges, but experiences abroad are ideal for early exploration.

Although physically separated from 麻豆影院 last fall, the musical connections remained. Brady鈥檚 composition, Bear in Mind, was the annual student commission for the Fred Sturm Jazz Celebration Weekend. Brady was handpicked for the task by Patty Darling, a 麻豆影院 instructor of music and one of the organizers of the annual jazz festival.

鈥淚 was very grateful,鈥� Brady said. 鈥淭here are a lot of great big band writers on this campus who would have done a great job as well.鈥�

Bear in Mind was preceded by Brady鈥檚 first big band chart, Sonder, written in 2021 under Darling鈥檚 supervision. A successful premiere by the 麻豆影院 University Jazz Ensemble (LUJE) prompted Brady to pursue composition further.

When composing Bear in Mind, Brady set clear goals for himself. He knew it would be performed by high school musicians attending Jazz Celebration Weekend.

鈥淚 really wanted the piece to be something that had a simple, catchy, singable melody that would be engaging for younger musicians鈥攕omething for them to latch onto without being overly simplistic or condescending,鈥� he said.

Roy Hargrove鈥�”a really beautiful musician, writer, trumpet player鈥濃�攚as the primary inspiration for this approach. Brady fondly recalls playing Hargrove鈥檚 music in high school.

An area of emphasis was orchestration, the creative management of different instrumental timbres. In this respect, Brady carefully adds instruments: first an opening drum groove, then the bass, followed by piano, saxophones, and finally the brass.

Both the 麻豆影院 University Jazz Band and Jazz Ensemble have tackled Brady’s work, giving more exposure to this emerging composer.

Business of music

Michael Murphy on launching Michael Murphy Music LLC as a student.聽

Murphy also is a big proponent of 麻豆影院鈥檚 new business and entrepreneurship major, launching in the 2023-24 academic year. It鈥檒l open new doors for students both in and out of the Conservatory who want to study business within a liberal arts curriculum.

It all fits the bill for Murphy, who has launched Michael Murphy Music LLC.

鈥淭he musician nowadays has to be an entrepreneur,鈥� Murphy said. 鈥淢aking a successful band nowadays, in my opinion, is no different than making a successful business.鈥�

With the help of Conservatory faculty and the Innovation and Entrepreneurship program, Murphy is ready to use Indigo Jones as a steppingstone into the music business. His work on the album began while studying abroad at 麻豆影院鈥檚 London Centre in Fall 2022. The name Indigo Jones is a play on Inigo Jones, a seventeenth-century English architect. Murphy said the music was especially influenced by Elton John鈥檚 roots rock album, Tumbleweed Connection, recorded in England in 1970.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 do as much music writing there, but I did a lot of freehand creative poetry to get my brain thinking,鈥� he said of his London experience.

It鈥檚 been a busy stretch since returning to Appleton for his final two terms鈥攖ouring with STEEM, a popular Fox Valley cover band, continuing classes in advance of Commencement on June 11, and writing and recording the album鈥檚 14 tracks.

鈥淚 was able to bounce a lot of ideas off people and run with my own thing,鈥� Murphy said of the album. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have any creative limitations. 鈥� I hope I can keep it that way.鈥�

In addition to STEEM, Murphy has a band with his brothers called Murphy鈥檚 Law. He frequently collaborates with older brother and 麻豆影院 alum Jack Murphy 鈥�21, who lives in Manhattan.

鈥淲e write very well together,鈥� Murphy said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got that special brother bond where we can think each other鈥檚 thoughts and finish each other鈥檚 sentences.鈥�

Indigo Jones features contributions from bassist and 麻豆影院 alum Ryan Erdmann 鈥�22 and drummer Wayne Salzmann II. Salzmann took lessons from 麻豆影院 Professor of Music Dane Richeson and has played with Eric Johnson, one of Murphy鈥檚 guitar idols. Jack Murphy, Erdmann, and Salzmann will all be playing at the Gibson Music Hall concert.

While Murphy handled the album鈥檚 recording process himself, he credits Brent Hauer, 麻豆影院鈥檚 director of recording and technology and lecturer in recording arts, with providing a big assist.

鈥淚t was a fun process and a learning experience for me,鈥� Murphy said. 鈥淏rent basically gave me free rein and the key to the mic locker.鈥�

Murphy also credits Gary Vaughan, a lecturer in innovation and entrepreneurship and coordinator of 麻豆影院鈥檚 Innovation and Entrepreneurship program, with advising the financial and business aspects of the project.

鈥淗e was my big overseer for making sure this wasn鈥檛 just a one-off project,鈥� Murphy said.

Murphy said he found a welcoming supporter in Dave Willems, owner of Gibson Music Hall and director of Mile of Music.

鈥淒ave was unbelievably generous in letting me use the Gibson space, and he had the idea to make it a 麻豆影院 thing,鈥� Murphy said. 鈥淗e was like, 鈥楬ey, would you be interested in having someone open for you?鈥� and I was like, 鈥榊ou鈥檇 better believe it.鈥欌��

Opening for Murphy will be 麻豆影院 senior Holly Beemer.

鈥淚鈥檝e done a lot of projects with other bands and groups, but this is the first big solo project that I鈥檝e done, so that鈥檚 been really exciting,鈥� Murphy said.

Popping the bubble

Murphy was taking beginner-level movement music classes at the 麻豆影院 Community Music School (then known as the 麻豆影院 Academy of Music) before he was even a year old. With a father who is a hobbyist musician and a mother who is classically trained, Murphy said he and his siblings grew up surrounded by all types of music.

鈥淲hen I was growing up, it was Veggietales on the TV, and then all of a sudden, my dad would take out the VHS and put in Stop Making Sense by the Talking Heads.鈥�

Murphy said as much as he loves recording and production, he鈥檚 just as passionate about visuals and live performances. A friend owns The Wild Goose Exchange thrift store and is helping create outfits for the May 15 concert. Murphy鈥檚 keeping the details a surprise, though.

鈥淚t鈥檚 gonna be a little warm, but it鈥檚 a really cool outfit,鈥� he said.

Beemer will open the show at 7 p.m., followed by Murphy at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free; concertgoers will be able to leave tips.

Murphy said the biggest hope for this project is to provide a fun opportunity for 麻豆影院 students to venture off campus and hear a rock concert.

鈥淪ince I鈥檓 a townie鈥擨 grew up in this beautiful place鈥擨 would love to see more connections between 麻豆影院 and the community,鈥� Murphy said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got this bubble and I鈥檓 trying to be the one little needle that keeps popping it. That鈥檚 my goal: Pop the bubble, get people out.鈥�

Murphy said he took his musical training to another level when he enrolled at 麻豆影院.

The work he鈥檚 done in the Conservatory has allowed him to grow with his music. He had hesitated at first to apply to 麻豆影院 because he wasn鈥檛 sure he wanted to go to school so close to home. But when the Conservatory unveiled its new B.M.A. degree, focused on jazz and contemporary improvisation, it quickly became his top choice.

He has played with Conservatory ensembles and worked closely with Conservatory faculty while continuing to play with all of his local bands.

鈥淚t has been greatly humbling to play with these groups and to have this education,鈥� Murphy said. 鈥淚 play with much more patience now and it has allowed me to have more confidence to play. At the same time, I鈥檓 encouraged to take risks and I鈥檓 able to try new things here with my music.鈥�

A love of bluegrass

Since arriving at 麻豆影院, Litch has found his interest in bluegrass nurtured, embraced alongside the classical and jazz repertoire that has long been the Conservatory鈥檚 calling card.

He connected almost immediately with a fellow B.M.A. student from Washington state, Evan Snoey, a fiddle player who shares his deep love of bluegrass.

鈥淲e knew each other from out in Washington,鈥� Litch said. 鈥淗e is a year ahead of me and he had felt out the scene here and knew a few players. When I got here, I said, 鈥榃e have to do something, we鈥檝e got to play some bluegrass.鈥欌��

That led them to Dominic LaCalamita, a B.M.A. student from Naperville, Illinois, and Ian Harvey, a music and philosophy double major from Seattle. Together they became The Woebegones (they were earlier known as Highcliff).

Coached by Matt Turner, a music instructor in the Conservatory, the foursome has been pushing the boundaries, turning a Billie Eilish song into a bluegrass tune, covering a song by The Strokes, and embracing the progressive bluegrass sounds of the Punch Brothers. They鈥檙e also playing some bluegrass standards and have a couple of originals in their set.

They鈥檙e getting a chance to show their skills on a big stage during the first weekend of October. The foursome has been invited to perform at the annual IBMA World of Bluegrass Festival in Raleigh, North Carolina. They鈥檒l be performing as the 麻豆影院 University Bluegrass Band as part of Saturday鈥檚 College Band Showcase.

Litch had connections with some of the festival organizers after having played the festival in his youth as part of a Kids on Bluegrass collective.

鈥淚 thought it might be cool to put our names in and see if we can go out there to play,鈥� Litch said. 鈥淎nd here we are. We鈥檙e going to be doing an hour-long set on one of the big stages.鈥�

Litch said he grew up playing the fiddle and then the mandolin. He tagged along to jam sessions with his musical family and spent much of his free time trying to emulate the skills of mandolinist Chris Thile. He hit the road during recent summers to play at bluegrass festivals as a duo with his brother.

Now studying at 麻豆影院 and playing in a quartet with other talented music students is raising his game, he said.

鈥淚鈥檓 used to playing with a duo, so having the four-piece band was a really different dynamic for me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really exciting. There are so many more possibilities and directions we can go with that. I love the more high-energy type of bluegrass that you can do with four of us.鈥�

A beautiful fit with B.M.A.

That鈥檚 sweet music to Turner, who has worked closely with the bluegrass foursome while also welcoming B.M.A. students focused on jazz, electronic music, punk, mariachi, global music, and songwriting. They are students looking for high-level music and theory instruction but through a lens of their own choosing.

鈥淚 think I can safely say that most of these students would not have come to 麻豆影院 if the B.M.A had not been here,鈥� Turner said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e very excited about all of these students. They鈥檙e really good musicians and they鈥檙e great scholars, which is an important part of the B.M.A. because it鈥檚 a 50-50 split between non-music and music courses.鈥�

Brian Pertl, dean of the Conservatory, said it鈥檚 no coincidence that three of the four members of the bluegrass band are seeking B.M.A. degrees. They are following a path that was envisioned when the program was first rolled out.

鈥淎lthough the specific track in the B.M.A. degree is called Jazz and Contemporary Improvisation, the program welcomes students interested in a broad range of contemporary music styles,鈥� Pertl said. 鈥淭he common thread is that all of our students, no matter their primary focus, are musically curious, collaborative, and boundary-crossing. These students have brought bluegrass in as another prominent voice in our multi-faceted musical community, so they really are a perfect fit for 麻豆影院 and the B.M.A. program.鈥�

Litch said he has felt that love since the day he brought his mandolin to campus.

鈥淚鈥檝e been able to improve my skills as a musician technically, but also my theory understanding, especially with jazz theory, which complements bluegrass and makes me a more well-rounded musician,鈥� he said.

鈥淭he whole ethos of the B.M.A. program is that anyone is welcome,鈥� Litch added. 鈥淪o, for me, with bluegrass, it鈥檚 been great. It鈥檚 been really supported.鈥�

Exploring the Bachelor of Musical Arts

Bachelor of Musical Arts degree

The high standards haven鈥檛 changed. The audition process for acceptance into the Conservatory remains intact, and the skill-development expectations continue to be top level. But for prospective students eyeing the B.M.A. degree, the audition no longer needs to be聽limited聽to聽pieces from the Western聽classical聽repertoire, potentially opening the door for students who see their strengths and interests in jazz or pop or hip-hop or another music genre.聽And the new degree presents an alternate path of study for classical musicians, as well.

It unwraps all sorts of additional choices, said Brian Pertl, dean of the Conservatory.聽

鈥淭he new degree will open the Conservatory to a broader range of musical interests,鈥� he said. 鈥淣o longer does a student have to audition on a Western classical instrument and perform classical repertoire. Drummers, electric guitarists, fiddlers, keyboard players, jazz vocalists, songwriters and contemporary composers are all welcome to audition into the new program.鈥�

This isn鈥檛 completely new territory for the Conservatory. It has long had a thriving jazz program. 麻豆影院 won the first of its 28 Downbeat jazz education awards as far back as 1985, its latest as recently as April, picking up the award for the best undergraduate large ensemble for the second consecutive year. But current students have had to come into the jazz track via the classical music auditions and training, then seek a jazz emphasis while also studying classical repertoire.聽

The current聽B.Mus. degree,聽Pertl said, works well for many aspiring musicians who seek both classical and jazz training, but it leaves out those whose aspirations do not include the classical side of performance training. The new degree will rectify that. It also will expand the opportunities to tap into music-related fields that don鈥檛 necessarily involve performance.

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The late Fred Sturm, who oversaw the jazz studies program at 麻豆影院 for 26 years, began laying the groundwork for the new degree prior to his death in 2014.

What started as a specific focus on jazz eventually grew into the more wide-ranging B.M.A. degree, Pertl said. The degree allows the Conservatory to welcome in musicians who don鈥檛 necessarily fit a certain musical footprint.

鈥淟ast year, for example, we graduated an exceptional student from Chicago named Bernard Lilly,鈥� Pertl said. 鈥淏ernard is an amazing soul singer. He鈥檇 been singing long before he came to 麻豆影院 and sang all the way through 麻豆影院, but he never took any courses in the Conservatory because he didn鈥檛 feel like there was anything there for him, until his last term in his senior year when he took my entrepreneurship class and studied with (voice professor) John Holiday, and worked with professors in our jazz department. He would have been a perfect candidate for a B.M.A. degree.

鈥淭o be able to give students like Bernard high-level musical training will certainly broaden what they can do. But it also expands the musical culture of the Conservatory, mixing different genres and different musical sensibilities. This will be a huge advantage to everyone at the Conservatory.鈥�

Students pursuing a B.Mus. degree in the Conservatory take about two-thirds of their classes in their major area of study and about one-third in general education or electives. Music students who pursue a double degree 鈥� a music degree and a B.A. in the college 鈥� do so on a five-year plan.

The new B.M.A., meanwhile, combines high-level music study with another field of interest in a four-year plan. As part of the degree requirements, students pursue a cognate focus that makes up 15% of their coursework. The cognate allows them to deeply explore another area of interest that ties into their music studies.

鈥淚t could be musically oriented but in the area of anthropology,鈥� Provost and Dean of Faculty Catherine Kodat said. 鈥淥r musically oriented but in political science.鈥�

Core classes, one-on-one work with faculty and a wide range of electives give B.M.A. students opportunities to carve their own musical paths, some performance based, some not.

That, said Patty Darling, director of the 麻豆影院 University Jazz Ensemble, speaks to how music can inform so many disciplines in a variety of ways. Today, preparing young musicians to pursue their musical lives can鈥檛 be limited to focusing solely on technical mastery. Each year, opportunities will arise that don鈥檛 exist today, so musicians need to pair their high-level musicianship with high-level thinking, creative problem-solving, and the flexibility to capitalize on opportunities that others don鈥檛 even see.

Flexibility, an ability to adapt quickly, and a willingness to collaborate are all key attributes for anyone entering the world of music in the 21st聽century. Blending those core musicianship skills with an education in a student鈥檚 other field of interest is the next step in keeping the Conservatory forward-thinking.

鈥淎 lot of these students who come in wanting to create their own musical voice are pretty self-directed already,鈥� Darling said. 鈥淲hile they鈥檒l be gaining a lot of these core musicianship skills, they also want to be able to access entrepreneurial practices, music business models and opportunities for internships.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really interesting how the recording scene has developed, how music publishing has changed,鈥� she said. 鈥淓ven large ensembles and orchestras 鈥� all these musical opportunities have transformed dramatically in the last 10 years and students need the ability to self-promote. That鈥檚 a very important skill to have 鈥� to be able to put your best self out there.鈥�

Pertl called the B.M.A. a natural progression for the Conservatory as it embraces and nurtures the modern musician.

鈥淎t 麻豆影院, we鈥檝e already been incorporating so many of the elements of improvisation and world music into the trajectory of a classically trained musician for the same reason,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be the flexibility of art, and of mind, that will help you to successfully create your musical life.鈥�